SANTA ANA – An Orange County judge has decided that a former Huntington Beach police officer will face trial on charges including rape and sodomy, it was reported today.

At a preliminary hearing at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana, Superior Court Judge Richard J. Beacom upheld 19 of the 20 felony charges filed by prosecutors against James Roberts III, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Beacom agreed to move forward with the charges against Roberts, 34, after hearing testimony from Roberts’ ex-wife and investigators from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and Orange County district attorney’s office during the three-day hearing.

Roberts is charged with alleged acts against his wife, an alleged mistress and another man while serving as an officer with the police department.

He pleaded not guilty Feb. 26 to rape, forcible sodomy, false imprisonment by violence or deceit, criminal threats, domestic battery, aggravated assault, dissuading a witness and vandalism. He faces a maximum sentence of about 23 years in prison if convicted on all charges. CNS-08-30-2010 08:46